I30U- Hyundai’s Pioneering Model Receives A Mid-Life Facelift

2010.03.02 00:00:00No. 46

i30U – Hyundai’s pioneering model receives a mid-life facelift

To extend Hyundai’s appeal to its growing number of customers and enthusiasts in Europe, the company’s first ‘i’ model has benefited from a comprehensive set of enhancements – the result is the new i30 U.

Entering mass production in March, the i30U takes over from the well-established i30, and incorporates a wide range of improvements in design, specification and competitiveness. The evolution of i30 also includes even cleaner powertrains, to further progress Hyundai’s ambition of becoming the world’s automotive leader in eco-friendly technologies. To complete the upgrade, i30 U comes with the Hyundai ‘Triple5’ package, including an enhanced five-year warranty – a reflection of the quality and reliability of the Europe-built i30 family and a sign of reassurance for i30 buyers.

The legacy of i30

When Hyundai’s design and engineering teams conceived and developed the original i30, they were focused on producing a car which would meet the specific demands and expectations of European consumers and provide a real challenge to the mainstream brands in the C-segment. A positive reception from the European media was quickly followed by sales success, and within three years almost 200.000 examples of i30 have been sold in Europe across the five-door hatchback and CW estate body styles.

At its launch in 2007, the original i30 introduced the ‘i’ nomenclature to the Hyundai range, and truly exhibited the characteristics of the ‘i’ badge: innovation, inspiration and intelligence. In many other ways, i30 has been a car of ‘firsts’ for Hyundai, being not only the first car in the range to be built in Europe – at the Nošovice plant in the Czech Republic – but also the first Hyundai to achieve the maximum five-star score in the rigorous Euro NCAP crash test program.

A natural evolution in design

The i30 U builds on the strengths of the current i30 range, to keep the model fresh and desirable for retail and fleet drivers in Europe. One of the principal factors in i30’s appeal is the modern, distinctive styling of the exterior, which combines elegance with solidity in a cohesive whole. The new-look i30 does not stray far from the original design, and instead merely accentuates the car’s aesthetic qualities.

The redesigned radiator grille and air intakes bring the i30 in line with Hyundai’s new-style corporate identity, epitomized by the hexagonal frontal form. A reshaped, lower bumper and more angular fog light recesses continue the visual enhancement around the front end. The redesigned chrome garnish housing the Hyundai logo completes the more dynamic new look. The refresh carries on into the flanks, where extended side skirts and rear bumper add a sense of strength to the car’s contemporary profile.

Blue DriveTM program yields further fruits

The i30 was the first Hyundai product to carry the ‘Blue’ badge, symbolizing the company’s keen environmental sensitivity. With the arrival of the facelifted i30, Hyundai has enhanced the specification of i30 Blue to add low-rolling-resistance tyres to the ‘eco’ package for the first time. When the Blue upgrades are now applied to the regular i30 1,6-liter petrol, the improvements in eco-performance are significant: CO2 emissions and fuel consumption decrease by nine per cent to 139 g/km (on the combined cycle). Such improvements bring benefits to all users through lower running costs and, in certain markets, lower rates of taxation.

Also new for the i30 U is the application of Euro 5-compliant engines, which further reduce the environmental impact of the model range.

Quality remains the watchword

This refreshed model moves forward the i30 offer in numerous ways, but Hyundai recognizes that one of the key factors in securing high sales and customer satisfaction is a diligent approach to quality standards. So the new i30 will come from the same state-of-the-art production facility in the Czech Republic, where mass manufacturing began in late 2008.

To demonstrate Hyundai’s confidence in the i30, the Triple5 package of benefits will now be applied to all vehicles in the i30 range sold in Europe. Chief among the advantages of Triple5 is the new five-year, bumper-to-bumper warranty, which immediately puts i30 among the leading vehicles in Europe for aftersales care. The reassurance provided to the customer is augmented by five years’ roadside assistance, for the ultimate peace of mind. Finally, drivers are entitled to take their cars for a free vehicle health check every year for five years.

So, the facelifted i30 perfectly captures the sentiment of the company’s brand slogan ‘True Quality Matters’, and provides a wealth of advantages to Hyundai drivers.

A real contender in its class

The evolution of i30 strengthens the model’s claim to be a true rival for the best in the European C-segment. The refreshed styling, improved powertrains and new Triple5 program help to consolidate i30’s position as one of the most competitively-packaged vehicles on sale in Europe. This claim is boosted by new specification and options for the i30 range, including low rolling resistance tyres.

Further product developments will keep i30 at the head of the C-segment pack and at the front of mind for customers and prospects. New special edition models will follow the launch of the new-look i30, capitalizing on the company’s involvement with 2010 FIFA World Cup South AfricaTM as well as other promotional opportunities at a national level.